Today, there is an increasing awareness of style and the need to appear attractive, garner attention and elicit a favorable response from ones friends, associates at work and others that we may meet. The demands on a fashion accessory are substantial. They must appear dramatic (for one reason or another) and interesting. They are often at their best when they appear novel or unusual. However, at the same time, they must fit in with relatively rigid protocols dictated by past fashion, current trends, and a certain hard to particularize “sense of fashion.” Thus, the development of fashion accessories that stand out and yet fit within the above parameters presents a substantial challenge to designers.
As a result, the number of successful introductions is very limited, and the number of tried and failed entrants represents a substantial cost to innovators. Thus, despite the necessity for innovative personal adornment to enhance the beauty of an individual, create a sense of status or create attraction, while at the same time being efficient on cost of the adornment, creates inherent and substantial conflicts and challenges. Moreover, costs of introduction must take into account, not only design costs, but also other new product costs, such as market education, advertising, tooling, sales costs and so forth.